As Naomi's story suggests, online student success tools can be categorized into two broad camps: tools that aid in academic success, such as early-alert systems, and tools that aid in the work of being a student, such as self-service systems for tracking credits or registration. We asked students if they were aware of whether their institution provided these student success tools and whether they found them helpful.1 Overall, more students found tools that aided them in the work of being students more useful than tools that helped with academic performance (see figure 10). Nearly all students reported that the tools that helped them conduct business, conduct degree audits, track credits/credit transfers/dual enrollment, or plan degrees were at least moderately useful. In particular, higher percentages of students found degree-auditing tools very or extremely helpful compared with other types of tools. The group of tools least used by students was self-service referral systems (e.g., volunteer or crisis counseling services).

Two-thirds of students said tools that suggest how to improve course performance were at least moderately useful. However, more students told us they did not use tools for academic success as much as tools that aid in the work of being a student (e.g., registration tools). For example, 24% of students said they did not use tools that suggest new or different academic resources (e.g., tutoring or other skills-building opportunities). Of more concern was that a fifth of students did not use early-alert systems, which could be explained by negative attitudes toward these services. If the system is perceived as a Big Brother mechanism—a punitive, judgmental, all-knowing, all-seeing academic Robocop counselor—or a generator of guilt rather than support and encouragement, students may not want to use the system.2 Tools that aid in transactions, such as tuition payments, do not ask students to do something; they provide students a service. Tools that engage students in making an appointment may also be perceived as generating additional work for them. Or they may simply not be aware of how these tools can be harnessed for their academic success.

Who are the students who found student success tools useful? Overall, compared with other students, more minority students and students eligible for Pell Grants found tools that aid in academic success at least moderately useful. Although first-generation students tend to be a priority for student success initiatives, they were not more likely to find these tools useful. Still, these findings are good news for institutions that seek to leverage these tools to increase rates of student success.3 Low-income, first-generation minority students are predicted to be a large segment of student enrollment within the next several years.4 However, research continues to show racial/ethnic disparities in completion rates.5 The aims of the Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success initiatives (e.g., first-generation IPAS and second-generation iPASS) were to increase completion rates, so underrepresented students' positive assessments of these tools is an encouraging finding.6 Institutions should note, however, that even when students were aware of these tools for academic success, around 20% did not use them. This is of concern, since online student success tools such as early-alert systems have been found to benefit student performance.7

It's clear that students like Naomi want to leverage these tools for their success. Institutions should make greater investments in communicating the benefits of using these tools to students in orientation, during advising meetings, or by advertising these tools via social media or on institutional websites, and the messages need to be tailored to the audience, including institutional faculty and staff.8 Institutions should also try to increase faculty buy-in for the use of these success tools. In 2017, we found that between 16% and 28% of faculty do not have access to these services and between 23% and 34% of faculty have access but apparently choose not to use them.9 IT and student success leaders view faculty adoption of these initiatives as the top concern for implementation.10 Institutions should also ensure early-alert messages are student-centered—for example, having an interactive component that responds to unique needs based on each student's identification of specific challenges in their courses. Personalizing these approaches may aid students in using tools that can increase opportunities for academic success.